Passion Pit

Manners (Columbia/Frenchkiss)

By Christine Werthman
Published: June 2nd, 2009 | 7:00am

By now we all know the story of how Michael Angelakos’ musical Valentine’s Day gift for his girlfriend turned into Chunk Of Change (Frenchkiss), one of the best EPs of 2008. Chunk Of Change gave a teaser of Passion Pit’s vibrant, electronic pop sound, with Angelakos’ falsetto sweeping through synthesized dance beats and keyboard lines. This time, Passion Pit recorded as a full-fledged band, resulting in a more dynamic sound that proves the group is more than just a flash in the electro-pop pan.

Manners maintains the original pulsing, energized sound while exploring a more controlled, but never restrained, delivery. “Make Light” opens the album with rushing and airy background guitar cut up by keyboard, synthesizer, and solid drumming — instead of being Angelakos’ solo project, the song rightly sounds like it comes from a full band. “Little Secrets” follows, keeping the sound upbeat and bouncing. Angelakos is still singing about relationships of all kinds on this new album, but instead of singing lines like, “Have you see me cry tears like diamonds,” (“I’ve Got Your Number”) he sings more reserved lines, such as, “Let this be our little secret / No one needs to know we’re feeling,” as the children’s choir of New York City’s PS22 chimes in with, “Higher, and higher, and higher!”

Manners then ventures into more subdued territory, keeping the beats coming, but covering them with a less sunshine-heavy melody. This works to the band’s advantage, as it shows that Passion Pit can do more than throw down a good party song — although you could probably throw this album on at a party and let it play through all the same. The album livens up again with the well-fitting “Sleepyhead” (also featured on Chunk Of Change) before reaching a tidy, two-song resolve with “Let Your Love Grow Tall” and “Seaweed Song.” It is a warm-hearted ending to an album that feels fully fleshed out.

Manners succeeds because it seamlessly leads listeners through songs that build on Chunk Of Change's themes without losing that distinct Passion Pit sound, or the fun feeling at the band’s musical core.

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